I’m in highschool and I’m looking for a good starter car. I’m looking for a cheap car that is fun and fast to ride around in but it can’t be a coupe because i have a big family that likes to visit a lot and I’ve found a car 2016 chevrolet cruze limited 1lt auto, so i would also like your thoughts on that and recommendations also my budget is 8k
Around where I live, the 2016 Cruze cost anywhere from $11,500 to $16,000
I’d be wary of one for $8,000, it may be a fair price in your area, but not around here.
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Possible for an ex-rental where you’d be owner #4 on one example, could be a decent car but it
would not be my first choice. Mazda 3 would be worth thinking about even if you have to go a little older.
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This is a near impossible question to answer. What may be a neat car to one person may be a disaster to you.
It’s also a used car and those are not created equal. One may be fine mechanically; another similar one may be having a love affair with a car crusher. No matter the car, a pre-purchase inspection is a must and even that is not an iron clad guarantee of a problem free car.
I have a hard time thinking of a 1 L Cruze as fun and fast. One bit of advice I can offer is this.
Be PATIENT. Do your footwork and do not get in a hurry. There are some good cars out there with a very good prices but it takes time to sort them out. Do NOT go falling for scams on Craigslist,
Facebook, Offerup, and so on for cars with prices that seem too good to be true.
You have the money so remain calm/patient.
Recently there was very clean looking 2007 Nissan Sentra on FB. Low miles, nothing wrong, runs/drives great, and only 675 dollars with free shipping and money back guarantee. You would be surprised at how many people fall for things like this.
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Every one is going to have different ideas of “cheap” and “fun”. When I was first old enough to drive, I had a 1988 Toyota Corolla, which I shared with my sister. It was beat-up and rusty, but it never let us down. Everyone I knew at the time had something similar–old and beat-up. I thought the 1988 Corolla was fun and fast, although it’s possible that if I was to drive one today it would be less satisfying.
While I’m not going to tell you to buy a 32 year old economy car, I am going to tell you that a 4-year old car is too new, and $8k is too much for a teenager’s first car. I would recommend something like a 1996-2008 Toyota Corolla/Chevrolet Prizm, 1997-2006 Toyota Camry (avoid the 4-cylinder for 2002 to 2006 models), 1997-2005 Honda Civic, 1997-2005 Honda Accord (4-cylinder only), 1999-2005 Dodge Neon, etc. You should be able to buy a decent running car for less than $3k with less than 150,000 miles.
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Maybe you can get something decent in your area but not where I live .
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+1
Additionally, different people have different definitions of “decent”.
Many years ago, I knew a guy who bought what he considered to be “decent” used cars that usually had starting problems a few times each week, and broke-down often. Like all of his other friends, I learned that I couldn’t rely on his timely arrival because his cars were so unreliable.
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That’s hilarious
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You are in high school? 16yrs old? And have to provide rides for family when they visit? Are you a taxi service? Why can’t your parents provide a ride for “family” when they visit? Sounds like an odd situation. How is visiting family arriving? Bus? Plane?
Dang, I did not have $8000 in cash when I was in high school, more like $8.
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Wherever all of the people who think less than $3k is unrealistic live, I’m glad I don’t live there! That must be a part of the country where cars crumble into rust after 10-15 winters. In the south and west, rust is not a problem, so cars last a lot longer, and prices are much more reasonable.
Here, I can buy a good quality used car from the late 1990s to mid 2000s for less than $3k all day long–with no rust, body damage, or mechanical problems. In fact, people trying to sell these cars for more than $2500 or so, see them languish on the market for weeks or even months.
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Higher cost of living too. I don’t live in the major lake effect areas of PA, but we do use a good amount of salt and brine down here, so while rust is a factor, it’s not endgame like it can be in the true rust belt areas.
That being said, you’re looking at cars that are between 15-23ish years old. There may be no visible body damage, but you still have cars that have been in service for that long (and in the Southwest, higher levels of ozone deteriorating rubber parts), and will likely start to need more routine repairs. My father-in-law’s last cheap car purchase was a 2000 or 01 Passat. Body was in great shape, no accidents. The turbo was fine. Only problem was the heater core was bypassed due to it leaking. We pulled the dash twice to replace the heater core. One of the times it went, one of the hoses ruptured causing a massive coolant loss (nothing like the smell of coolant smoking pouring in the passenger area…). After that we had nothing but nagging electrical problems and random misfires. He thankfully finally traded it in for a used Prius. I’m not going to miss that damn thing.
For $8k. I’d consider the 2010-2012 Ford Fusion V6 or Sport (rare). The Sport will have the 3.5L V6, which is plenty powerful for a car of it’s size. The 2007-2012 Mazda 6 V6 , 2009-2010 Subaru Legacy with the Turbo H4 or N/A H6 (might not be able to find one at that price point). I’d also consider the 2009-2010 Corolla XRS or 2007-2010 Honda Civic Si sedan, if you want something smaller.
Alternatively, you can get a 2 door car and tell your large family to drive themselves around.
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Friend went to boarding school in high school era. Never had visitors. Like Scrooge.
Forget “fast and fun.” That’s for middle aged dudes who can afford it. You want reliable. As a generality, that means a Corolla or Civic, maybe a Camry if you need the room. If you need something even bigger, maybe an Impala. Let’s keep it under 100k on the odometer on principle. The national average is 13.5k/year so look for something 7 years old or newer. An older car with very low miles has either spent a lot of time sitting or it’s been driven on very short trips, which isn’t good for it. Get a Carfax if at all possible. Budget enough to have the car inspected by a reputable mechanic and set something aside for repairs because you’ll need it.
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ahhh yes - my 4 on the floor Carola 2 door ( in the 1975 era ) - was fun but couldnt get up a mountain for beans …
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First off buy from a reputable dealer where you can get a 30-day (or more) 100% warranty. You will pay more but you’ll get your money’s worth. You do not have enough experience to purchase a vehicle from a private party (half of whom are getting rid of a problem). Nothing like learning a good life’s lesson than putting hard earned money out for a vehicle and then have to park it 2 weeks later because you can’t afford the repair. Again, buy from a dealer.
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Thornback , bcohen is not the one looking for advice and I can’t see him spending 8000.00 on a vehicle anyway.
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Don’t forget, if you don’t drive too fast or get a muscle car, your insurance will be about $1200. Consumer Reports Magazine car issue gives you an idea of what to expect for your money.
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